What is Pakistan e-Passport?
The e-Passport is a highly secure travel document, having an electronic chip embedded in one of the passport pages which will be used to store biometric information about the holder.
The electronic chip contains data that will verify the passport holder’s identity and will include the biometrics of the passport holder, the personal data found on the data page of the passport, a unique identification number and a digital signature.
An e-passport has a contactless (NFC) chip on it which means that those passports can be read electronically.
The newly launched e-Passports in Pakistan are in compliance with the United Nations’ ICAO standards.
Salient Features of e-Passport
- Chip based data storage with laser engraving
- Multiple security feature including IR & UV
- e-Gate facility for immigration
- ICAO compliant standards
- Real time match of personalized data at airports
Benefits of Pakistan e-Passport
E-Passports are already in use in more than 150 Countries worldwide. Several Countries have switched to the e-Passport due to the increasing need for efficient and better border security.
Pakistan e-Passport holders in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and elsewhere in the world can benefit from the e-gate facility at all airports around the world. It will also help eliminate all the hurdles in the ongoing manual system and will aid Pakistani applicants to process online applications conveniently.
Since the e-Passport carries out various forms of security checks, extending benefits to Overseas Pakistanis including those in the UAE will ultimately benefit the Country.
e-Passport facility through all Passport Offices in Pakistan
The Directorate General Immigration & Passports (DGI&P) started issuance of e-Passports in 2022 for the Diplomatic and Official Categories as a soft launch. Later on, June 10, 2023, e-Passport issuance was started for the residents of Islamabad only.
However now from August 16, 2023, the e-Passport issuance facility has been made available from all Field Offices across the Country.
Fee structure for e-Passport Pakistan
Recently, the DGI&P issued the fee schedule for e-passport which come into effect on August 16, 2023.
The fee structure regarding processing of e-Passport is as under;
Passport | Fee for 05 years validity | Fee for 10 years validity | ||
Normal | Urgent | Normal | Urgent | |
| E-Passport (36 pages) | Rs 9,000 | Rs 15,000 | Rs 13,500 | Rs 22,500 |
| E-Passport (72 pages) | Rs 16,500 | Rs 27,000 | Rs 24,750 | Rs 40,500 |
However, the fee structure of Machine-Readable Passport will remain the same.
*توجہ کا نوٹس* :
واضح رہے کہ سوشل میڈیا پر مشین ریڈ ایبل پاسپورٹ فیس میں اضافے کے حوالے سے کچھ جعلی اعلانات کیے جارہے ہیں تاہم واضح کرنا ہے کہ پاسپورٹ فیس کے موجودہ ڈھانچے میں کوئی اضافہ نہیں کیا گیا ہے۔ 1/2
— Directorate General Immigration & Passports (@DGIPofficial) August 18, 2023
محکمہ نے حال ہی میں عام ای پاسپورٹ فیس مقرر کی ہے جو صرف ای پاسپورٹ پر لاگو ہوگی۔ مشین ریڈ ایبل پاسپورٹ فیس کا ڈھانچہ وہی رہے گا۔ شکریہ 2/2
— Directorate General Immigration & Passports (@DGIPofficial) August 18, 2023
 issued the fee schedule for e-passport which come into effect on August 16, 2023.){kind=link}